Pinewood, Nova Park, LK Mansion, or Sunshine Vista

[Hippie 0]

Thanks to everyone who responded on my previous related thread. It now looks as if I will only be in Pattaya about a month after I arrive in late April, before I have to travel, and only be there sporadically for the next couple of months. Therefore, I want to decide on a place that I can book in advance at a monthly rate, and I can look around during that month to make a decision on where to stay when I return. I'll be working full time from home while I am there, so good (for Thailand) Internet access is a must. I think I have narrowed it down to the following four places, but I'm still open to suggestions, including any BMs who have a condo to rent out:

 

-Pinewood Residence

-Nova Park

-LK Mansion (still trying to confirm if they have Internet access, however)

-Sunshine Vista Serviced Apts. (but only if they come way down off the 47K they initially quoted for a month)

 

LK Metropole is out of my price range, which I have raised to about 30K.

 

What are your thoughts? I'll rent a motorcycle, but would like to be close to shopping and restaurants, and close to a baht bus route for when I go out drinking. Jomtien is an option, but I do not know it well.

[Owl_ 0]

Thanks to everyone who responded on my previous related thread. It now looks as if I will only be in Pattaya about a month after I arrive in late April, before I have to travel, and only be there sporadically for the next couple of months. Therefore, I want to decide on a place that I can book in advance at a monthly rate, and I can look around during that month to make a decision on where to stay when I return. I'll be working full time from home while I am there, so good (for Thailand) Internet access is a must. I think I have narrowed it down to the following four places, but I'm still open to suggestions, including any BMs who have a condo to rent out:

 

-Pinewood Residence

-Nova Park

-LK Mansion (still trying to confirm if they have Internet access, however)

-Sunshine Vista Serviced Apts. (but only if they come way down off the 47K they initially quoted for a month)

 

LK Metropole is out of my price range, which I have raised to about 30K.

 

What are your thoughts? I'll rent a motorcycle, but would like to be close to shopping and restaurants, and close to a baht bus route for when I go out drinking. Jomtien is an option, but I do not know it well.

 

Just around the corner from the LK Metro is the Jasmine Mansion where I just spent the whole month of February at. I wasn't able to get a full month at LK Metro but I was able to book the Jasmine Mansion. I am very please with my stay at the Jasmine Mansion and would recommend it to anyone who wants a nice full service hotel at a reasonable price. Check out their website at...

 

http://www.jasminemansion.com/site/

 

[LocalYokul 177]

I'd pick PineWood, but maybe it's cause that's where I am sitting right now

 

I would be interested in a comparison BTW, LK, SunShine, and Nova...

 

[Samsonite 181]

It would appear you want to stay in Soi 6/Second Road area, but if not, the Residence Gardens is the best bang for the buck I've seen in Pattaya.

[Hippie 0]

Jasmine Mansion sounds like great value for the money, and I seriously considered them. However, they will not meet my needs for the following reasons.

1. I'll be working full time from the room, so I need a fairly quiet place, meaning the first (American second) floor is not an option.

2. Knee problems prevent me from taking any rooms above the first floor.

 

Also, I don't care for having to walk through the bar to get to my room. Hard to keep myself in work mode when I do that.

 

Getting good info out of LK Mansion is proving difficult. I send a message with 4 questions and two days later they answer two - but about a different hotel! Gave up on trying to find out if they have in-room Internet, as the 1 BR and Dlx Studios are full for my dates anyway. They suggested the regular 36 sq. m room at LK Royal Suite, so I will consider that but probably not my first choice. The also failed to answer my direct question about whether that room had in-room Internet, although the website indicates it does.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Hippie

[Hippie 0]

Scalawag, it would be more accurate to say I would like to stay in the Big C area, but yes, you had the general idea right. I am very willing to consider other areas if they have decent baht bus access, but so far these are the places that have come up. I don't particularly like RG's location, and a lot of the posts I have read over the last year or two have indicated it is getting rundown, so I have not checked to see what their monthly rates would be. Probably should.

[Samsonite 181]

Just stayed at the Residence Garden and there is nothing ran down about the place that I saw. Best value I've seen to date in Pattaya, but, as you pointed out, not the best location.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Scalawag

[Hippie 0]

Ok, just wanted to let those who helped me know what I decided on. Maybe others will find this info helpful. I was hoping to find a condo or apartments, but ended up settling for a serviced apartment/hotel--Nova Park. I can still change my mind if I come across a place more to my liking, but I am no longer actively looking. I have never stayed there, so I hope I made the right decision.

 

I'll briefly list the places that I seriously considered, as well as the factors involved and the prices. If they did not have Internet already installed, they were not considered. Unless I say otherwise, tax and Internet is included in prices, and the rooms in question are 1 bedroom suites/apartments, generally in the 55-60 Sq. m range. Remember these are low season prices.

 

Nova Park--good price (19,000 baht per month for a one bedroom apartment after negotiating, total with utilities and cleaning twice a week will be about 23,000, I think), prompt replies to email, pool, small gym, close to shopping, not too far off baht bus route. Rooms look good in the photos. I do worry about the Internet speed, but the reliability is reportedly pretty good.

 

Pinewood Residences--best price I could get was 28,200 monthly, everything included although I don't remember for sure if that included Internet), good location though maybe noisy at times, decent rooms, pool (no longer green), no gym, good Internet, close to baht bus, absolutely would not return any of my email.

 

Mosaik Apartments--19,200 for a deluxe apartment, plus utilities and cleaning (if desired) but not sure if tax is included, 1000 baht per month more for ADSL, I estimate 24,000 all in, very nice rooms, OK location except an extremely gay area, no pool, no gym, reasonably prompt responses to email

 

Sunshine Vista--would have been my first choice except for an absolutely ridiculous (for this place) monthly rate of 47,000 per month and when I asked to verify that the 40% discount for the Thai Card applied to monthly rates, they just stopped responding to my messages. Nice rooms, good location, pool and gym if I remember right. Was a good value a couple years ago from everything I heard.

 

LK Metro--nice place, good location, 37,000 per month if you stay at least two months, plus 2,000 per month for DSL, answer email reasonably promptly

 

LK Mansion--not sure if they have Internet in rooms, full for my dates

 

LK Residence--suites are expensive, single room (36 sq m) is 27,000 per month-I believe everything was included but Internet definitely was, pool. looks nice, OK location, room is too small for me. did not seem great value but others may have different priorities

 

Briefly considered:

Bella Villa Prima--don't remember why I ruled them out, might have been price, excellent location

Residence Gardens--not sure of monthly rate but others have quoted 30,000+, lousy location IMO

Misc. places on Buddha Hill--not sure If I like the location, so I passed, but I may check some out when i arrive

Misc. guesthouses in and around Soi LK Metro/Diana/Buakaow--good location, no elevator, lower floors noisy, usually entrance only through bar, many sound like good value if they meet your needs, but they did not meet mine.

[up2usexyman 0]

Hippie,

 

I've stayed at Nova Park the last two visits. Can recommend it. The high speed was fine. I was there for six weeks. They have elevators too. Guest friendly. Staff were great too. Pool is nicer than Pinewood.

 

I looked at Pinewood last year as an alternative but thought the Nova Park was better. The gym at Nova Park is not the type you would want to work out in everyday due to its limitations. Just go to either of Tony's.

 

There is a new restaurant/nite club opening up across the street from Nova Park. Some dogs hang out at night in the parking lot and bark quite a bit so ask for a room further away from the street.

 

If you join the Pattaya Sports Club (700 baht) you can get 10% off your room rate which in our case amounted to over 7,000 baht. Good deal.

[Hippie 0]

Hippie,

 

I've stayed at Nova Park the last two visits. Can recommend it. The high speed was fine. I was there for six weeks. They have elevators too. Guest friendly. Staff were great too. Pool is nicer than Pinewood.

 

I looked at Pinewood last year as an alternative but thought the Nova Park was better. The gym at Nova Park is not the type you would want to work out in everyday due to its limitations. Just go to either of Tony's.

 

There is a new restaurant/nite club opening up across the street from Nova Park. Some dogs hang out at night in the parking lot and bark quite a bit so ask for a room further away from the street.

 

If you join the Pattaya Sports Club (700 baht) you can get 10% off your room rate which in our case amounted to over 7,000 baht. Good deal.

Up2U, Not sure, but I think one of your reviews may have been one of the ones that convinced me to go with Nova Park. I'll look into the PSC membership, but since 19,000 was a negotiated discount off the standard price of 30,000, I doubt it will work. Thanks for the advice about the dogs.